March 14, 2014

Friday Favs_3.14.14

March 14, 2014/ sherri d'alessandro

How in the world is it March 14th? I thought it was the first week of March. Yikes.

This has been one of those ultra-long weeks. Friday never looked so good. I've been slacking on the blog game lately because there are a couple of big projects that I've been working on that I can't wait to share with you, but, good things come to those who wait. So, stay tuned!

Tonight, I'm looking forward to catching up on the Emmy-nominated movies that I haven't seen yet and enjoying some delectable little snacks... I'm thinking shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs, and either cous cous or a garlicky spaghetti to pair with the shrimp. What do you think? Hope you all have a lovely weekend planned!

Here are my favs of the week - enjoy!

Wednesday night... Rachael, Rebecca and I had an impromptu dinner at Blue Dragon. Oh ma gahd... Krista had told me that it's amazing, boy was she right. It was probably one of the best meals I've had in a really long time. Ranks extremely high on my top restaurant list in Boston. We started with a bunch of the snacks, had noodle bowls for dinner (the Dan Dan and the Udon Garlicky noodles with clams were both TO DIE!), and this ridiculous chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Run, don't walk to be the next guest in line.

And this cocktail... house vodka, strawberry, & egg. I could have sucked it down in one sip - insanely delicious.

Going along with my smoothie kick lately, this article breaks down how many calories are in some of your favorite smoothie staples.

I think this smoothie included spinach, banana, blackberries, chia, flax, almond butter, & cinnamon.

Some of my favorite food combos are on this list via Lauren Conrad's site. Especially avocados and tomatoes and the egg/banana snack. (This image is from my Rosemary Salmon post)

In a few weeks... I will be escaping the cold with Mandy & Kiley in Riviera Maya. Celebrations all around!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day and as a reminder to chill out when things seem hectic (advice I need to give myself right now)... I share with you this...

Enjoy the weekend and have a blast! xo

February 28, 2014

Friday Favs_2.28.14

February 28, 2014/ sherri d'alessandro

Good news: My sink is fixed and it's Friday!
Aren't we all just so sick of the weather? I've been positive for so long, but, I've just had it. I'm even sick of comfort food... which could be a good thing because I've been EXTRA healthy lately. I think all this coldness is making me focus in on things I can control... like my health. I've been paying extra careful attention to what I eat and my beauty routine. (Are you thinking... um, you're a health blogger... don't you always do that?) Well yes, but, there's always room for improvement. I'm testing out some new skin care techniques that I'll give you the results on in a few weeks. Also, my smoothie kick is still in full swing and I've been eating less gluten and some raw foods. I'll always be the 80/20 girl (be as healthy as possible 80% of the time), but, switching it up every once in a while and going 85-90% can create some long lasting habits with a lifetime of benefits. I'll keep you posted on my findings. Instagram will include a more detailed view. Stay tuned!

Have you heard about the Nutrition Label makeover? What do you think of it? I think there are some vast improvements such as increasing the serving size to reveal a TRUE serving and the addition of showing added sugars. That being said, the below image would be even better. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Click through the image to view the entire article.

Last Friday night, we stayed in for the first time in a while. I made one of my absolute favorite recipes: Chicken, Broccoli & Ziti (or penne). It is deeeelishhhh. I should really do a post on it, but, if you're interested in whipping it up this weekend, here's the down and dirty:
- Parboil Broccoli in salted water (ALWAYS SALT WATER BEFORE COOKING PASTA)
- Keep the water and add the pasta to it (so much flavor)
- In a saute pan: 3 garlic cloves, crushed red pepper, juice of one whole lemon, salt/pepper to taste
- Chop organic chicken breasts into chunks about the size of the penne, lightly flour them, and add both the broccoli and the chicken to the pan, add a little pasta water to the pan
- Finish cooking the pasta and add it to the saute pan with a little more of the pasta water - stir it all around, add Parmesan and serve!

This article on photo-shopping is very telling. I can't emphasize enough how you should NEVER compare yourself to someone in a magazine. They aren't just photo-shopped, they have professional hair and makeup artists and THEN get photo-shopped. The women in this article are not models. (Click through image to view)

Roasting garlic makes me so happy. And it's SO HEALTHY. It's an excellent source of manganese and vitamin B6, a very good source of vitamin C, and a good source of selenium. Plus, it's anti-inflammatory, an anti-oxidant, and anti-bacterial. We ate this entire thing last night - partially in bread and mostly in pasta with crushed red pepper and evoo.

Natalie Morales has always been my favorite anchor on the Today Show. This is a great article. Can we all just stop comparing ourselves to other women? Just stop.

Have an awesome weekend - keep shining! xo

February 21, 2014

Friday Favs_2.21.14

February 21, 2014/ sherri d'alessandro

Yayyyy Friday!

This was one of those short weeks that felt long. I cannot wait to have a nice, relaxing weekend. I don't have any major plans (which is awesome) except for heading down to have dinner with Michelle and Brian on Saturday night. I haven't seen Brian in YEARS which is crazy so I am really looking forward to seeing them both. Whoo!

Here's the round up for the week. Hope you all have awesome weekends planned out!

If you've been following me on insta, you've probably noticed these new, super-fly kicks I've been sporting from New Balance. They are the new Fresh Foam 980's and they are awesome! Super light and comfy. This video with Pedroia, Kenny Mayne and Jenny Simpson featuring the 980's is Hilarious... watch it for a good laugh.

Click to view. Courtesy of Runners World.

Last night, we went to the 5th Annual Chili cup in Faneuil benefiting Boston Community Works. These taste events are always so much fun. After we had enough Chili, we headed over to Mija and I took these pics. (Aren't Billy & Kim so cute?). Faneuil never loses its luster for me. :)

There are 10 foods that are sold in the US that aren't sold anywhere else. Such bull. This is why I'm always talking about avoid processed shit.

As previously mentioned, I've been on a smoothie kick lately. My mom sent me this article on the benefits of Spinach vs. Kale. Both are awesome, but, Kale wins in the battle.